Dragon's Mouth

About Dragon's Mouth

Dragon's Mouth Orchid is a perennial herbaceous wildflower in the orchid family that is native from Canada south to the Carolinas. It prefers boggy sites, swamps, wet meadows and especially sphagnum bogs. The plant is named for the fountain nymph Arethusa and the flower suggests an animal's open mouth. Transplanting this orchid from the wild is rarely successful and they are generally not sold commercially.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Arethusa bulbosa

Genus

Arethusa

Family

Orchidaceae

Order

Asparagales

Also known as

Dragon's mouth, dragon's mouth orchid, Arethusa and Aret

How to care for Dragon's Mouth

💦 Water

How often to water your Dragon's Mouth

Dragon's Mouth needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Dragon's Mouth in your home

Dragon's Mouth love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Dragon's Mouth does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Dragon's Mouth in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Dragon's Mouth

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Dragon's Mouth: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Dragon's Mouth after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Dragon's Mouth is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

💦 Water Needs

Dragon's Mouth prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Dragon's Mouth requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Dragon's Mouth is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Dragon's Mouth does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Dragon's Mouth grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Dragon's Mouth can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-7b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Dragon's Mouth, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.